3D printing is helping engineers create a smart earplug sleep aid

The wearable device market is exploding. One type of wearable product focuses on collecting data on your sleep, but that’s about all it does–collect data. Thus, there’s a gap between gathering data and then using that information to improve your sleep.

The founders and developers at Hush Technology, Inc., a California-based startup, are using sleep data to improve a user’s sleep experience. The result is what they call the world’s first smart earplug. They worked with Proto Labs Inc. during part of the development phase, impressing Larry Lukis, Proto Labs’ founder, enough that Hush Technology is the latest recipient of the Cool Idea! Award service grant given to innovative products by Proto Labs, Inc. “The potential to improve the quality of life for millions of people is a large reason why we want to help make Hush a reality,” said Lukis.

Hush combines sound-eliminating foam and noise masking technology to keep unwanted noise out while allowing important alerts in. Fitting comfortably in your ear and surrounded in a soft silicone surface, Hush aims to set the stage for a good night’s sleep. It will help users sleep through snoring, loud neighbors and a host of other noises that disturb nightly sleep without blocking the things that are necessary to hear like alarm clocks or emergency phone calls. The smart earplug uses Bluetooth to connect with the corresponding smartphone app, where the user can choose which notifications are and are not welcome. Hush uses a tiny speaker to deliver notifications, and also can play soft, soothing sounds like white noise, ocean waves, and rain drops for more than ten hours.

“Hush’s ultimate goal is to help people sleep better in the context of others around them, and ultimately enable people to live a better quality of life,” said Daniel Lee, Hush Technology, “The world is only getting noisier, and we aim to provide a way for people to live together harmoniously despite this.”

This grant has provided the founders with the critical stereolithography test samples needed to validate the design using Proto Labs’ additive manufacturing service, and will then follow-up by providing an initial run using the company’s injection molding service.

Lee says he plans to launch Hush by early summer 2015 and will sell the product for a little over $150.